The All-African Students Union (AASU) delegation yesterday paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Youth & Sports in Banjul, where they formally presented the 2025 Distinguished Achievement Award to the Honourable Minister, Bakary Y. Badjie.
The award, conferred by the continental student body representing over 350 million students across Africa and the diaspora, recognises the Minister’s outstanding leadership and commitment to youth empowerment and sports development in The Gambia.
During the presentation at his Banjul office, the AASU team commended the Ministry’s strides in advancing youth-centred initiatives, including support for entrepreneurship, agro-processing, skills development, and community sports infrastructure. They noted that The Gambia’s youth development interventions continue to serve as a model within the sub-region.
Receiving the award, Honourable Badjie expressed gratitude to AASU for the recognition, describing it as a collective achievement for the Government of The Gambia and the young people of the country. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to creating enabling spaces for youth participation, innovation, and sustainable development.
The Minister further highlighted the importance of partnerships between governments and student movements across Africa, emphasising that empowering young people remains central to national growth and continental progress.
The visit concluded with renewed pledges of collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the All-African Students Union in advancing youth-focused policies and programmes.
